What if frustration became… a brand pleasure?
In his latest Branded Sentiments column for Brandingmag, our Chief Strategy Officer Félix Mathieu explores a strangely universal emotion: the deliberate, delicious tension of wanting something you may never get.
Introducing FrustLust — the sweet spot where desire and discomfort collide.
From the unwinnable Hermès claw machine in NYC to Rhode Skin’s sell-out drops and PUMA’s brutal 5AM challenges, brands are increasingly designing experiences that withhold gratification on purpose.
And the most intriguing part? When this emotional palette starts spilling into the unsexy corners of everyday life — supermarkets, home care, sustainability — turning micro-frustrations into shared rituals and richer brand stories.
Read it here: https://www.brandingmag.com/felix-mathieu/branded-sentiments-frust-lust-the-pleasure-of-never-getting-it/
News
Hershey’s win strengthens Lonsdale’s US momentum
Following the recent Hershey’s win, Lonsdale is strengthening its momentum in the United States — a key step in the agency’s long-term international trajectory. From New York, Michelle Mak, Creative Director, and Steffie Palang, Account Lead, a...
Creative Bloq │ Muriel Schildknecht │ AI Can’t Replicate Empathy, and That’s Why It Won’t Win
Muriel’s opinion piece was originally published on Creative Bloq. AI can’t replicate empathy, and that’s why it won’t win It should push us to be more human. As creatives, we’re navigating an industry transformed. AI is no l...
Product Design: The Last Refuge of the Senses
An op-ed by Sandra Joly Guicheteau, Deputy General Manager and Head of Consumer Branding at Lonsdale, originally published in French by Stratégies – November 2025. In a time when brands compete with AI to manufacture “engagement,” a...